


printf(“Hello Illinois!”);

by ghostlerhost



Category: Markiplier (YouTube RPF), Who Killed Markiplier? (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Robots & Androids, Fluffy Ending, M/M, android learns about love, don't sue me heehoo!, illinois' last name as chicago is my personal headcanon, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-11
Updated: 2020-02-11
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:02:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22666714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghostlerhost/pseuds/ghostlerhost
Summary: Through emails and dating websites, The prototype IRL line android, Atari IRL, discovers what love is.
Relationships: Illinois/OC (Markiplier Ego)
Kudos: 2





	1. Emails

Synthesized; uncertain.

Staring at the mirrored image of a projected screen the quiet spark of deviating sweetness blossomed in his artificial mind, kissing the ends of wires and buzzing in circuitry. Atari, that is, the larger-than-life, energetic and pleasantly charming entertainment-game emulator android, smiled as he had stealthed his way online, sifting through websites and lustful profiles and stumbling upon the curious name of Illinois Chicago. Atari was modeled after a young Korean male, pretty and pristine. He was colourful, dressed like an orange-creamsicle Marty McFly, with coiffed pink hair that faded into gold, a puffed orange bubble vest with a denim undercoat and chunky, vintage shoes- a novelty.

Chicago seemed to be the adventurous type. He joked about "being an impersonation of Indiana Jones," prided himself in his feats of exploration and his aesthetics- his "rugged good looks." Atari toned softly as he studied him in his provided pictures, most of which were of his silhouette but one or two were of his face. Handsomely kind; Atari's mind clicked quietly with newfound admiration.

He had only started to synthesize his quick email to him when Chicago sent one in first.

**"Illinois Chicago <iuchicago@email.com>**

**hey, you're atari, huh? nice. also, are you a super star? because you make me feel invincible ;)"**

Atari felt his first flustered thought, scripting and re-scripting his reply. He searched through the internet for templates but figured to formulate something unseen before.

**"Atari Gaime <atarigaime12@email.com>**

**Yello! Yeah, I’m Atari, and you’re Illinois Chicago, right? If yes, you’re like totally ace, dude! I was wondering if you’re down to hang out and get to know each other. You up for it?**

**(P.S. Do you have a map? Because I keep getting lost in your picture’s eyes! Haha!)”**

There was a brief moment of nothing. Atari sat in idle waiting as he refreshed the screen a couple times before Chicago’s response came in.

**"Illinois Chicago <iuchicago@email.com>**

**ah nice one ;) and of course! but first, let me know a bit about yourself. where you from? what do you like to do in your free time? :)"**

Atari frowned, brow furrowed at the screen. He wasn’t able to do much aside from play the preprogrammed games installed into his internal computer and search the web. Tutting his tongue, he decided a white lie wouldn’t hurt.

**"Atari Gaime <atarigaime12@email.com>**

**Sure thing, dude! I’m from Buffalo, New York of the good ol’ U S of A. In my free time I like to play video games, (A total shocker, right? Haha!) but I also love to explore! I haven’t explored as much as you, I think, but I’d like to think that I’m totally righteous at exploring!”**

He smiled to himself- It was perfect; however a new spark seemed to dance along his circuitry. It felt ansty and tense- causing some of his bio-components to seize and his internal dialogue of binary to cease to a stupefying halt. Atari felt anxious. And the stillness of already read emails made the anxiety worsen slightly.

However, Chicago’s warm and charming reply was enough to soften the edge of it all.

**"Illinois Chicago <iuchicago@email.com>**

**a man after my heart! ;) alright, where do you want to do? i personally want to go for a walk around a park? been on many a exploration and would like to have something more relaxed, and perhaps we could talk over a cup of coffee after?"**

The simple thought of walking alongside the man in the pictures through the parks he could only explore through street-view maps sent lovely electricity through his wires and sharing coffee in a small cafe made his olfactory sensors click happily. Atari smiled. 

**"Atari Gaime <atarigaime12@email.com>**

**That sounds totally rad, dude! When do you want to meet?”**

**"Illinois Chicago <iuchicago@email.com>**

**how about next monday?"**

**"Atari Gaime <atarigaime12@email.com>**

**Sounds ace! See you then!”**

**"Illinois Chicago <iuchicago@email.com>**

**see you then ;)"**


	2. Practice and Dates

Atari had left the team facilitating his “humanizing” process in awe. 

The conversations and coos over how cute his emails to Chicago were, cheerings about their successes with recreating “human emotions” in a robot; Atari grew rosy with awkward acceptance. They were ecstatic with the conclusion of Atari’s interaction with Chicago and anxious to finally have a reason to let their team’s creation out into the world, let alone interact with a human not affiliated with their work. As a team, they would bicker over his clothes and dress him up, then dress him down. 

The masculine team members took to teaching him a confident swagger. The feminine team members took to teaching him delicate poise. Both parties, being careful as to not overwhelm the android with their coddling, took aside and babbled excitedly over his loveable progress. Atari sighed. He felt as though he was a living ceramic doll, speaking in mimicry with the sweet flirtatiousness and carrying himself with copied pride as the team cried out in adoration. Some ran up to him and pinched his cheeks, others coming up behind him and shaking his shoulders, deeming him ready to go for his little rendezvous soon after. Giving him the choice to dress as he pleased after failing to come to a consensus over his clothes, they discovered that he had already decided to go in his default style.

His reason was endearing. 

“It’s like telling a totally lame lie about yourself if you, like, dress up like a preppy to look ace.”

Atari was dropped off at the park the day of his meeting with Chicago, given many reassuring thumbs up and shooed off to find him. He fidgeted with the zipper of his vest, taking his first few steps out into the world. He watched the late morning sky, the way the blue paled white atop the horizons of a busy city, welcoming the slowly pacing sun amongst the clouds. The pale sunlight shone into his eyes, forcing his eyes to sliver into a squint to save his fragile cameras from getting burned. Someone spoke to him from behind, a warm, rough baritone with a gorgeous charisma. 

“Hey, Atari, right?” Atari turned around, startled by a body, dressed as if just back from a safari, blocking his vision. The baritone laughed. “Up here.” With a soft flustered moment, Atari tilted his head back, meeting the coffee-black eyes of Chicago, now hatless and physically present.

Atari chuckled, scratching the back of his neck, “Oh, hey there, dude!” Offering Chicago his hand for a handshake, he smiled, “I’m Atari.” A second passed and Atari flushed with embarrassment as he added “but- but you already know that, dude.”

“It’s alright, ‘dude’- I’m using that right, right?” Chicago took his hand and gave him a firm handshake, raising an inquisitive brow.

“Yeah, you are, dude.”

“Nice.” Chicago, still holding onto Atari’s hand, led him to the pathway. Chicago was exactly as he presented himself online, however, he was much bigger than Atari anticipated. A few inches taller than him; an impressive sight that made his internal fans whir fast and his face warm. Atari turned his head down, keeping pace with Chicago. 

He found himself at a loss for words. What he felt was something indescribable with algorithms and binary. Base 2 couldn’t clarify what was racing through his circuits. It was sweet; made him feel as though he was melting despite his aluminum skeleton and the antifreeze that chilled his computers. As if he was starved of this ever-since he first discovered Chicago online. Atari sealed his lips and furrowed his brow. Pondering what this was, he took to the internet, an inquisitive purple spiral overtaking his irises. The purple drained away as he received his answer: “Love.”

“Woah.” Chicago was suddenly breathless.

“Yeah?”

Chicago slowed to a halt, turning Atari towards him. He held his breath, staring into his eyes as if to study them like priceless jewels. Atari blinked and tilted his head aside with the innocent sweetness of a puppy. Suddenly Chicago broke the silence. 

“Your eyes are purple?” He circled a finger around his eyes, “Or are they blue?”

Atari stammered, averting his gaze. “Y-Yes.”

“Yes?”

“I mean-” The android fidgeted, “Kinda, maybe, sorta-?”

Chicago softened with Atari’s anxiety, he chuckled, “Heterochromia?”

“Hetero-what-now?”

“Heterochromia.” Chicago stepped back, gesturing to his eyes once more, “It’s when your eyes have different colours- but your eyes, I swear that you had,” his voice trailed off, looking to Atari’s eyes once more and taking his hands into his. He chuckled, “Guess this gives me a reason to get lost in them, huh?”

Atari blinked. Affection climbed his wires, making him tremble and electrifying his core. A spark passed from their fingers, bridging from Atari’s finger to Chicago’s knuckle, shocking realization into him. Atari was quick to pull away, suddenly trembling out of pensive anxiety. He cried out, “It’s just static- it’s static, just- yeah-!”

Chicago, massaging his stinging knuckle, watched Atari with an unreadable expression. Silence. Then he finally questioned it all. “What are you?” he uttered, softly.

“I’m an android.” Atari deflated, looking down and shrinking into himself, “And- I’m, like, super sorry- I’m not from Buffalo, I’m from Cali. I’m kinda buggy, my skin is silicone. And- and I never been outside before, I-I lied about being an explorer- and- and-”

Chicago brought a finger to Atari’s lips, ceasing the anxious babble. “You’re definitely an explorer now, Atari.”

Atari brightened, “I am?” The anxiety returned, “But-”

“No buts.” Chicago chuckled, “You are one.”

**Author's Note:**

> oop- ahwm-adwm-wkm hyperfixation time lets go


End file.
